


Nuvol Bianche

by tropical_dream



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Angst, M/M, NielsungweekDay7, nielsungweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 03:55:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17114006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tropical_dream/pseuds/tropical_dream
Summary: When I Look at the sky I think about you





	Nuvol Bianche

**Author's Note:**

> Please LIsten to this masterpiece while as it act as the base of this fic  
> Nuvol Bianche by Ludovico Einaudi  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEOJQawykD0  
> (also available on spotify)

Daniel was not a lonely person

At least according to him

He had family who loves him, friends who'll laugh with him and pets who couldnt live without him.

But there's times when everything lined up perfectly in a cruel twist of fate.

Times where every single person on his life by chance unavailable for him : his parent was away for family matter, his closest friend was busy either with their other friend, their family or study at home. Theres nothing scheduled  from his online game squad or show he looked forward to watch.

Not even a stranger came for  help after he left out on river bank, bleeding on his head slowly loosing consciousness.

The day when he wandered alone at night around the neighbourhood ,a couple of thug robbed him. He may made a mistake by giving a bit of fight. In a moment of panic, one of them grabbed a steel rod and whacked him in the head way too hard.

Godamnit, its just a wallet consist of measly amount of money “Should’ve just thrown it at them when they asked” Daniel thought while he drifted into the darkness.

Several hours later he woken up, not a good kind of woken up.

He felt light

He didnt feel pain anymore. Everything that should bother him like not taking a shower after a long walk, parched throath and empty stomach in the morning or standing too long under the sun  weren't there anymore.

The telling sign was his cold body lied at the river bank.

Daniel concluded that he already dead. He was standing there as a ghost.

He witnessed his body checked by police and taken away to the hospital.

He saw his parent came to the morgue, in disbelief looking at his body and howling once they were sure it was their son.

He stayed at his funeral and cried with his parents and friend.

He learned that people who killed him that night caught by the police with the help of cctv.  He cursed infront of their face and haunted them for a while until he got bored.

6 months had passed. His friends and family started to heal themselfes and move on with their life.

Why he was still here?

 

"Why are you still here?"

 

It was an afternoon just  before sunset in the river bank. He stare at the moving cloud with blue and pink background.

At first daniel didnt answer the question. Its been a while that someone spoke to him since he became a ghost.

That man who just looked like an ordinary salaryman walked by the river. He stood with his back against the sun creating a silhouette that daniel couldnt recognize.

"Hi, I am asking you ghost of a dead boy who died here" the man asked again, now stepped down into the grassy slope approaching the edge of the bank where daniel always sit at.

"Your case already solved weeks ago, why didn't you go to where you  belong?"  His voice sound soft, not accusing nor intimidating. A kind of voice that could make people trust him.

"Y...You can see me?" This is the first time he communicate with others so he wasnt sure if he use the right tone

"Yes, unfortunately I am blessed with the ability to see dead soul that wanders in this earth. My name Yoon Jisung by the way"  He offered his hand and his smile.

Daniel just stare at the hand unsure what to do since he couldn't touch physical object eversince his death. He looked at the man named Yoon Jisung who later made a reassured gesture to take his hand.

Slowly, daniel reach for the palm. As expected, it didnt touch the skin and his hand went through it. But then it also didnt went all the way like usual.  Daniel grasped something,no, this was not his body.

"Its my soul that you touch" The man said smiling while shaking his hand "Soul can touch other soul since it has same dimension" he added

"But..why I couldnt touch my family's soul back then?" Asked daniel reminiscing his vain effort to hug his mother and father or pet his cats when he saw them the first time after his death.

"Because their soul didn't acknowledge your existence"  Explained the man  "While mine..unfortunately can see and acknowledge you. Its quite bothersome actually" he said with a regretful tone while streching his hand to the back.

Daniel didnt know how to process the awful information with the way he said it so lightly.

"Aww..dont be sad. I am here to help you" jisung said realizing the empty stare of the boy.

"Help me with what?" Daniel asked

"With leaving this world. You are not supposed to be here anymore"

"How?"

Jisung paused a bit, looking the boy from top to bottom examining him. He appeared as he was the last time he still alive. A young boy with mole under his eyes, Brown hair, white shirt, checkered long sleeve shirt and shreded blue jeans.

In jisung's eyes he looked like slightly transparent living boy with the faint halo light on the back of his head.

"First,  can you see a white light that  sparkling somewhere?" He asked while pointing upward  “Its your direction that lead you to the afterlife, try searching for it"

Daniel looked around, up and down. Searching for the so called spark that jisung mentioned.

"Oh.." he suddenly stopped "I thought its just something strange in the sky..some satellite or weird star.." he mumbled while looking up  
"How the hell it can lead me to the other world? By following its direction like a silor following a north star?" He asked, now turning his head to the man infront of him

"Seems like a star? Is it that small and high?" Jisung asked in a worried tone

"Well, its bigger than the star actually, more like a size of a moon but sparkling like a star" explained daniel

Jisung shake his head understanding the scale of the situation  
"Kid...you have something unfinished on this world. Should have known by the state of halo on your head"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you need to be able to jump into that spark to go to the afterlife. But if its too far and small like you describe, theres no possible way to do it. You need to finish something on this world" explained jisung

"Something that I want?"

"Yes,  Something you yearned to achieve while you were living.  I thought once the culprit of your demise get some justice you'd stop haunting this place. But apparently that wasnt the case"

Daniel silent while Jisung explaining about the basic of afterlife things. Apparently his halo on his head represent his possibility to go into the afterlife. If its bright, it meant the soul would be transferred immediately, but if its dim, its meant unlikely the soul could move from this living world since it still have some attachment on this world.

Jisung also warned him to be careful not to linger too long here because the longer he stay in the living world, the smaller the possibility for the soul to go to the afterlife. Once the halo on his head went off completely, his soul would be degenerated as Lost Soul. A kind of soul akin to forces of nature that could be conquered, used or even obliterated by a certain kind of power.

In other word, a bad fate awaiting a soul that turned into Lost ones.

"Dont worry, you still have time. Please think...dig deeper, what is your desire that you havent achieved while you lived. I'll come again tommorow" jisung said with a tone similar to his teacher at school.

For the first time after such a long time, daniel had a homework need to be done by tommorow.

 

* * *

 

 

In his whole life Daniel never been interviewed, its funny that its happened after his death.

Jisung would come to the river bank at late afternoon just before the sunset when the sky change its color. He'd asked variety of questions, enough to make his heads hurt. He demanded him to remember things that he never thought normally.

Daniel was not the type that like to reflect nor overthink. He is more like the one who jumps to action before analyze everything. Thats why he often find himself in trouble.

"So, lets check on your school first, since you seems to worry about your girlfriend" announced Jisung after barraging him with questions and listening his story. The former more than the latter

"Ex girl friend" corrected daniel gloomily

"Yeah, I heard you. You planned to broke up with her since you thought you dont love her anymore and so did she"

Daniel nodded slowly

"Still... you die before it happened so its definitely unfinished business left about her"

Daniel doubt it, actually before they officially broke up both of them already grew cold with each other. He dated her out of curiousity and mild interest. He never dated, she was pretty and popular. his simple mind said why not? But soon they found out that they actually werent compatible. They have different interest and hobby. And wathever they had initially when they started dating wasnt enough to made them patient enough to went through each other quirks and habits.

Nevertheless, daniel took  Jisung to his school on saturday. The school officially on holiday, but its crowded with student who came for their extra curricular activity.

Daniel walked both of them around the school. It felt like century he had not set a foot on that place. He walked the memory lane, basking on the sight of the place once so familiar to him. Now it felt like everything around this place had move on and left him behind.

Jisung let the ghost lead them wondering aimlessly around the school. Its normal for a dead soul of a person to drown on a nostalgic pool once they entered the place where they used to live.

Since its saturday, the complex was less guarded, its a good thing since they were able to enter the building and peek at daniel's old class room.

"They have your photo there" Whisphered Jisung from outside his former class

But its not what made Daniel stunned. In front of his photo that placed on top of his old table,  three students  stood around it. One of the male lit an insence, the other male put the flower. While the girl stood on the middle slightly hunched and prayed.

Daniel recognize all of them. They were his closest friend who used to hang around with him all the time.

The girl was his girl friend.

Learning that they still pay respect at his memorial made daniel a bit touched. Warm feeling seeped inside him. 

"Hana, Chan, Jun!" Daniel called their name eventhough he knew they wont be able to hear him.

After a while, three turned around to exit the class. they were mildly startled seeing an adult man stood on the hallway infront of their classroom. Jisung with his quick wit calmly introduced himself as Daniel's close cousin who wanted to visit his memorial on his old class. The three inturn introduced themselfes as daniel's friend.

"Glad to know that Niel's friend still remembering him and taking care his memorial. He must be very happy now" said Jisung with a warm smile.

The ghost chuckled at the sudden nickname coming out by the man’s mouth.

The group looked at each other before the tallest man named Jun spoke

"How could we forget him. He was a very nice friend with delightful personality. We'll rember him for the rest of our life"

Jisung glanced at daniel who is now looked a bit embarassed by the praise from his friend who wouldnt said it if he was still alive.

"Thank you for taking care Daniel all this time" Jisung bowed solemnly.

After the three excused themselfes to continue for their activities, Daniel whispered to the man beside him

"That girl..Hana was my girl friend"

Jisung turned his head and raised his eyebrows "Why you just say it now?"

"Naah, I think she is fine now" daniel said while looking at their back that already far away from them. But even from that distance, he could see how Hana walking closer beside jun while holding his arm.

Daniel, Chan, Jun and Hana were close friend since they entered highschool. Daniel always suspicious that Jun liked Hana, but he brushed it aside when He started dating her. Jun was suportive to both of them and gave them space.

He was happy knowing that after he died, Jun manned up and stood beside the girl he always like. He deserve it.

From the class, both decided to went home. Before they reached the gate, a girl run toward them

"Yoon Jisung ssi!" The girl catched up to them breathless "Thank god you havent gone yet"

Jisung smiled amused looking at her state panting and sweating from running  "Hana ssi isnt it? Take a deep breath, I wont go anywhere"  
Daniel giggled looking at the two doing some breathing exercise lead by Jisung. The black hair man with rolled up sleeve looked like PE teacher who taught his student breathing method after a tiring physical exercise.

"Actually I want to give you this" After she managed her breath, she opened his palm showing a beautiful bracelet intricately weaved from red threads embelished with gold charm "Daniel gave me this"

"Aah, my mother's hand made bracelet" Daniel gasped remembering the object on her hand

"He said this was given by his mom for him gave it to the person whose most important to him. I’ve been thinking even before Daniel’s death…. I feel like its not right that I keep this"

"Why? you think you are not important to Daniel?" Asked jisung carefully and softly

Hana shake her head "No no... its not like that. Actually we..we were dating, but it wasnt right.... Our feelings was not right for such relationship. I believe he felt the same" She dropped his head, playing with the hem of her skirt trying to figure out the right words to describe her feelings "Daniel still my friend whom I love, but not in the way that this bracelet symbolize. I think its better if his family keep it"

Daniel sighed at her bluntness, thats was her charachter afterall. This side of her that made him like her in the first place.  He understood her feeling. She probably felt burdened holding on a things with such important deep meanings.

Jisung looked at Daniel and the boy smile slightly and nodded.

Its a right decision, because after Jisung accepted and made sure to deliver the bracelet back to Daniel's mother her face clearly relieved as if a huge boulder lifted off from her shoulder.

"Hana, are you happy now?" Asked jisung to make sure before they parted ways.  

The girl smiled wide and nodded sharply

By that gesture they both knew  that theres nothing left to do at the school.

"Thank you hyung" said daniel almost in whispering manner. He wasn’t bothered to visit his friends before. But after today now he knew how deep their bonds are. Eventhough they already moving forward, they still cherished him and their time together. 

Moreover he confirmed Hana’s feeling and her happiness.

Jisung ruffled his hair  "No problem, you guys are good kids" he hummed. There’s a hint of melancholy at the end of his word.

 

* * *

 

 

The halo ring on top of daniel's head brighten a bit. Daniel also saw the sparkling white on the sky is closer know, like near the clouds near.  Still not near enough for him to jumped into.

After that they went to another place : The cat caffe he used to visit, The place he used to work part time, The theatre to watched movie that he look forward to, even the restaurant he always wanted to try.

But those effort were fruitless. After his school, things got harder. They couldnt figure out what hold his soul in this living world.

Jisung was swamped. This is the hardest case he ever handle.

  
"I gave up..maybe lost soul is your destiny after all" He whined on the river bank after spending hours at PC bang playing games Daniel wanted to finished when he lived.

"Aah hyung..please dont leave me like this" pleaded daniel. He didnt know if he could exist in solitude as lonely ghost like before now that he got to interact with a person like normal living person.

Jisung chuckled and rubbed his back "I was Joking”

A sense of relief seeped into Daniel’s unbeating heart

“But in seriousness, I cant come tommorow, i have work to do" Added the black haired man with apologetic smile.

Daniel pouted while nodded unpleasantly at the information. Actually, spending time with this man has been quite fun. They do wathever stuff he wanted to do when he was alive but couldnt. Everyday was almost like a date, only with a stranger.

Then something stroke his mind "I just realize" Daniel turned his head toward the older one " Hyung... I dont know anything about you when you know almost  everything about me"

"And what is the use of knowing me?" Jisung scoffed  "Dead people will leave this world anyway"

"Come on hyung, humour me... I have nothing to do without you bugging me here" daniel grabbed his arm and put his cutest expression "pweaseee..."

"Oh wow... thats scary" Jisung snorted seeing the ghost with a face of  lost big puppy begging as if he asked for food

He shrugged lightly and smiled at him "Feel free to haunt me then"  
   
He couldn't fight cute creatures afterall

The next day, Daniel followed Jisung to his apartement. He learned that jisung lives alone, his family in Wonju while he stay in seoul. He worked as research student at the prestigious seoul national art of college. Aiming for graduate program scholarship.

His resume actually pretty impressive that made daniel wonders why elite people like him bothers with freaky stuff like helping ghost finding its way to heaven

"Dead souls are alot less scarier than the living ones and twice the fun" Jisung mumbled once when Daniel asked him.

Daniel didnt understand it, but then jisung just smiles and divert the conversation.  
"Come with me tommorow to my work place. I'll show you lots of interesting stuff"

Daniel's face brightened by the proposition. He never set foot on colege campus and it'll be quite interesting to be shown by its faculty member.

 

* * *

 

 

"Ya! I told you not to stray away to far"

Its still quite early in the morning and not much people on campus on saturday. That’s why he dared to take daniel to his work place.  But a ghost that wandered as he like could cause commotion if only one person with a bit of six sense saw him.

Daniel wasn't stray away. He was distracted by the poster plastered in one of the campus bulletin board and let himself being left out by the older one.

"Dance presentation by American ballet company?" Jisung read the letter printed on the poster that suddenly piqued the ghost's interest  "You wanted to watch a dance performance?" Asked him unsure if that’s the answer they are looking for.

"Not really" Daniel answered while staring at the poster. He closed his eyes as he felt something rushed inside him. The feelings of yearnings and burning passion that long forgotten.

"Hyung!"  Suddenly he turned with stern face, made the older one jumped a bit.  
"Is there any place where I can dance?"

 

Jisung observe the ghost make a very graceful move. Every bit of his muscle streched and twisted forming an elegant posture. He move without losing the beat..when the music slow down, he slowed the movement and when it reach the climax, he became erratic, like a splash of wave hitting the coral.

It didnt make sense since ghost supposed to not have physical body that can be used to create such earthly presentation. However Since its form resembling the body it reside while leaving, it still manage to create movement and visual akin to a living body.

The transparantness and glows that unique to the ghost add ethereal effect to it.

As the music stopped, Jisung got up from the floor and clapped furiously as if in trance

"Bravoooo!!bravoo!" He wasnt afraid of his voice because the studio was sound proofed.

"Why you never tell me that you are a dancer?" asked jisung in disbelief that he just learnt about it now.

The ghost sprang her smile, feeling delighted and shy at the same time over the praise

"Its just something I did long time ago. I am not that good at it and my parents advised me to let it go after I failed the dance school admission" Daniel's face darkened reminiscing the distance past when he made to accept that dance might not for him.

"Eung..but you are so good at it. The academy made a big mistake" Jisung walked toward the grand piano located at the corner of the room and sat on the bench located infront if it.

"Naah, theres so many people better than me...I saw it myself"

They both fell into silence for a as Jisung didnt know how to reply. The thing is, he actually understand that kind of feeling.

The feeling when he wasnt good enough to pursue something he loved the most

"What should we do with this then?" Finally the older one broke the silence after thinking  for a while

"We?"

"Do you want to dance in front of people? Like a performance in a concert?"

Daniel's eyebrows knotted with the amazing proposal but considering his situation, it doesnt make any sense

"How? Not like people can see me"

"Yes they can't"  Jisung opened the piano cover and started to play simple tunes on it "But they can feel you...." He stopped his finger, abit hesitant  to continue

"Through my music" He breathes the words out as the last energy channeled into the end of his finger.

It danced as if  he just played the tunes yesterday.

Daniel never seen a piano live perfomnace. His family wasnt the type that indulge themselfes with the high brow of calssical art. He himself was a more of RnB or lyrical pop connoisseur.

When Jisung pressed all of his fingers into the black and white keyboards and run though it, a whole new worlds present itself infront of him.

The sound enveloped him, pulled him into a scenery that he often imagined on his dream.

 He felt like in the middle of tall grassy field. A breeze occasionally hit the place as if it could lift him and made him dance in the air.

When the tunes getting slower to the point of silence, he could see the calm blue sky streched far until infinity. Reminding him of his own insignificant existance.

Then the strong notes hit him again, turned him into a whirlwind of emotion and passion. The field turned red and he could see himself made jumps like he never done before.

The climax landed him slowly, with a single notes into a solitude and acceptance.

Daniel couldnt comprehended what was just happened. How the man infront of him could brought such experience just by a single instrument on his hand.

"What do you think?" Jisung asked, a bit insecure since the ghost stunned on his place

Daniel startled, realizing that he was being  asked "Hyung...thats..its a masterpiece" He blurted out with his jaws unhinged.

Jisung scoffed shyly at his praise "Thanks, but its need some more works" he closed the keyboard cover carefully "I only play it note by note from original arrangement"

Daniel didnt understand what its mean. Whatever the older said about it, it was a wonderful sound delivered to his ears.

"What is the title of that music?" Asked the ghost feeling estatic.

"Nuvole Bianche.By Ludovico Einaudi.  An amazing piece isnt it? Suddenly I think about this when I saw you dancing"

"Wah, its really great indeed" Daniel got up and walked toward jisung "the melody is simple yet..I felt it conveys alot of emotion"

Jisung smiled and looked up at the younger's face "Do you think you can create a dance with this?"

"Huh?"

Jisung sighed and leaned his back to the wall "Years ago I was supposed to participate on a competition with this piece, but I withdrawed my participation and forgot about it. But maybe, I can make a second chance now"

  
he turned and gazed at the ghost stood beside him

"Lets perform together. Shape my music with your dance moves, then dance this infront of the audience at the competition days. People may not able to see you but they can feel you"

Daniel could make some sense with this idea. He will help to direct the arrangement of the piece based on his choreography.

In a way the audience could hear his performance and he could statisfied his desire to create a choreo and dance it infront of people. Its a  win win situation.

"That sounds amazing. I am in!" Daniel agreed

Jisung's face ligthen up, but he look too happy for a mere approval of a collabroation.

"Niel ah! Your halo..."

"Ha?"

Daniel looked up and right on the window, he could see the white light  now located above the roof top

"Hyung...its getting closer now! The light to heaven!" He murmured

"This is it! We finally found you reason! its the answer!" Jisung jumped and huged the younger one, made them off balance and fell to the floor.

"Ouch..sorry..thank god for soul buffer" Jisung giggled as he landed on top of Daniel

This is the 1st time daniel got to observe the older's face up close. He just realized he has mole on his right eye lids, cheek amd one at the side of his nose. He also has an extraordinary long eye lashes.

Out of nowhere he felt his as if his dead heart thumps and his ears burning.

"You okay?" Jisung asked as he saw the  dancer exhibited an unusual behaviour. His face scooted closer to daniel's face.  Daniel couldnt help but stare at the glistening plum lips of the man still perched on top of him.

"N..No, im fine..whydoyouask?? Iamaghost, iwontbeunfine"  
Daniel stuttered quickly pulled him self and jisung's body in an upright position.

More than this he couldnt handle it.

Deep own he felt something fluttering in his heart and couldnt help his smile perpetually adorning his face.  Probably because the prospect of creating something together with Jisung? He stopped thinking more and embrace the feeling instead since its rare for him to get excited like this.  
 

* * *

 

 

The next days they were busy creating the collaboration performance. Daniel made the choreo with Jisung's help in the back ground. And while at it, he'd requested certain part of the melody to be adjusted according to the feeling he wanted to convey through his moves.

Occasionally Jisung would also gave input  regarding the music and the choreo. He acted as musician, observer and critique of Daniel's work.

For both of them, this is the 1st time they working with other discipline on such collaboration. It sounds like a great idea when they talked about it. But soon they find it quite challenging. Sometime they argued over some parts that they had opposite idea of. But then they'd always managed to overcome it with Jisung's patience and his way to talk into the young ghost's mind. Daniel also exhibited an extraordinary willingness to listen and tried the pianist's suggestion. Thanks for weeks of being told here and there while they were looking for answer out there.

Daniel been practising his jumps several time today. He tried to find the best angle and height that balanced out the next move. After feeling that he already 'get it' The ghost looked at the man who sat on the floor with paper scattered around him. Daniel then sat beside him and watched him writing the reviewed notes on his books. As he stare at him, he realize how beautiful his side profile is.

His eyelashes fluttered everytime he think of something. His nose slope down sharply complimenting the curve on his lips and chin. His figure was slender and small. He wondered how soft it would be if he get under his clothes.

"....Niel..?"

Daniel startled as he realized that he might stare at the older one too long that he might get creeped at.

  
Trying to not looking like a weirdo, he quickly raised his eyes meeting the eyes that looked at him quizzically.

"Y..yeah hyung?"

Jisung smiled looking at the akward reaction from the boy

"I was asking you if the part at the end need to be done more slowly as it'll be more impactful that way"

"Yeah...I think thats great..great idea.." Daniel said without thinking. He grinned hard and made thumbs up gesture with both of his hands

Jisung amused with how quick Daniel agreed on his proposal as the kid tend to be defensive with his suggestion at first. But he just shrugged it off and take it as his win for today.

"Okay then, lets try to see it once more" jisung got up and head to the piano. He played the song while daniel danced to it.

As the song came to an end, sudenly some one clapping. Both men turned toward the source of the sound.

A pretty girl with long black hair stood infront of the door, they were too cooped up with the work that they didnt realized some one entered the studio  
The girl was tall and smartly clothed with chic white shirt and black skirt hugged his slender legs tightly. 

  
probably she was the prettiest lady daniel ever see.

"Irene!" Jisung shouted from his seat. He quickly rose form the bench and walked toward the girl. Seems like she was a close aqcuintance as they exchange warm greetings even hugs.

"Jisungie..I heard you finally enter the competition. I am so happy! Its about time" The girl said while rubbing his back still within his embrace.

"Yeah thanks. When did you arrive? Arent you joined the conservatory in Poland?" Jisung asked after pulled out a bit and looked at the lady with a fond expression.

"I flied back to seoul as I heard about you joining competition" The girl said as she winked.

Jisung raised his eyebrows with comically disbelief expression

"Haha kidding...no, I arrived 2 days ago for holiday. But you were so busy you never got out from this studio" she said while sweeping his gaze across the room.

"Are you gonna play that song at the competition?" She asked with a smirk

"Yes, what do you think?"

"Its so beautiful! I didnt expect the song that I reccomended to you back then will finally see the light!"

Hearing the conversation and ignored like that, daniel felt like a ghost after a very long time. He knew he couldnt blame anyone, however it  doesnt make him less bitter and hurt.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Hyung, who was she?" Daniel asked after they comfortably tucked in inside the pianist's bedroom for the night. Jisung on his bed while daniel floating on the air in the middle of the room.

"Irene? Ah she's my childhood friend, a pianist..well a better pianist than me to be exact" Jisung answered as he shifted his body on the bed, Looking on the ceiling.

"Do you remember something I said about  me withdrawn my participation from a competition?" Jisung continued after a brief silence.

Daniel hummed acknowledgingly

"Its because of her..." Jisung let out a heavy breath recalling his unsavory past.

_Irene and Him had always been sticking around together eversince preschool. Mostly because they lived in a same building complex. Their mother encouraged them to play together because their similar age._

_Wathever they do, they do it together. And not excluding when Jisung fell to the sound of classical music. He was taught by his aunt, a piano tutor. As he shown a talent to absorbs the lesson She encouraged him to enroll to a music course. Knowing this fact, Irene asked his parent for piano course at jisung's place. People around them just think its a cute thing kids do and she'll get tired soon, but she kept going. They wondered if its because her desire to stick close to jisung or if she actually passionate about it._

_As any student of the course, Both often joined the competition. Jisung usually took the trophy and hailed as a prodigy at young age. Irene's rank mostly around top 10 and teacher praised her for showing promising talent as her score and technique gets better over time._

_When they were competing during highschool, Irene snatched the silver prize with jisung earned the gold proze with tight score._

_At that time jisung realized that the girl whom he thought learning music just to be with him, the one whom he taught just to caught up with the class now catching up on him._

_He was proud of her achievement, but he wasnt sure of his feeling if she manage to overcome him._

_It finally happened at the said competition during their college year. He watched her performance as she was on the first day while he was the second day._

_It was breath taking._

_Everyone mesmerized by her performance. It not a matter of technique anymore, theres emotion overflowing from his fingers. Even the audience gave standing ovation after its ended._

_At that time he knew that she gained something that he didnt have._

_The X factor, the beauty, the soul of music._

_He knew that she already won and he already lost._

_He decided to withdrew because he thought whats the point to compete if there is a clear winner. But deep down he admit that he just afraid._

_Afraid of her talent_  
_Afraid of being lost to her_

 

He was a coward

"And thats how I ended up as a loser on campus while she soared high, getting scholarship overseas even an offer from a famous philarmonic orchestra in europe" Jisung concluded his story with a bitter tone.

"But hey, I think now I have a chance to beat this competiton" He mumbled while pulling his blanket "thank to you" he smiled briefly "story time over, lets sleep"

 

* * *

 

 

Daniel did not like this Irene girl

Eversince she appeared on campus, she took all the spare time jisung had. Chat in the morning and Lunch on the afternoon.

She was pretty he admit that. It'd be crazy to reject pretty women's request for a company. She was tall and slender with foxy like face. Men turned their head toward her everytime she enters a room. They must  chanted death curse inside their head when they saw her clings to jisung.

Its obvious for everyone except Jisung that she actually like him.

_“But could she be like, a bit less aggresive?”_

_“Look at her now, sitting beside jisung while sticking her chest on his forearm. Did she not have any shame as a woman?”_

Daniel grumbled inside his head

Irene put his hand on her chin while stare at the man who sat beside her who swallowed the food she prepared herself.

"Is it good?" She asked with cute-ish tone

That made Daniel rolled his eyes.

Jisung looked at her and smiles. Since his mouth still chewing on the food he nodded and gave her thumbs up. That riled her even more, she asked him to try other things from the box

“it must be nice, being a living pretty women like her”

Daniel think to himself.

At their next morning practice, daniel annoyance reached all high as Irene kept Jisung distracted with her chat about useless things and what not. The most annoying topic was she talked about their  plan to travel Prague, the place where she stay right now pursuing master degree.

Daniel heard that they gonna do it after the competition wich mean he possibly wont exist in this world by the time it happened.  Jisung probably free from his ghost responsible and enjoying the romantic travelling with his pretty childhood friend who constantly going after him.

He might probably already forget about him by then.

Its painful to think about it.

 

"Hyung, what happened to the soul after they crossed that light?" Daniel asked after they decided to take 5 minute break since the dancer seemingly wasnt up to the practice mode.

Jisung looked at the ceiling while putting his chin on top of the piano "Hmm..no one could tell since no one ever came back from that light and told me but..some literature said the soul would be reincarnated"

Daniel hummed

  
"If I crossed the light first and hyung much later, provided you have a long life, isnt that mean in the next life I am gonna be much much older than you?" The dancer asked after a bit of silence

Jisung scoffed at the question "yea..yea..theres even possibility you will be my father's age" he teasingly reply

The dancer face darkened listening the unslightly future. He folded his arm while knotting his eyebrow

"Well not that I am sure about that, no one know how its work actually" the older said while he smile emphatically "come on, lets start our practice again!"

But the like the soul lost its spirit, daniel started to become less and less focused on their practice session. He started to slack off,  finished early and started as late as possible. There's even time he didnt come at all for some days. Jisung confused why the ghost lost its will to work on his goal. He started to worry for his future.

Little the pianist know, deep down daniel wished that he'll never cross that light.

He didn't want to leave Jisung  
He didnt want to reborn early that he might posibly be his father  
Mybe becoming lost soul isnt so bad as long as he get to stay beside him forever

A dark corner inside his soul forming a malicious idea

Perhaps....He can bring the pianist with him to the after life.

As time progressed and horrible idea formed within, the halo on his head dimmed, now even darker than when the first time he met Jisung.

Daniel didnt care to look for the light on the sky anymore as its changed into a totem of seperation from the pianist. A reminder of his limited time in this world.  

Huddled back under the bridge on the river bank where he was killed, he drown himself into sorrow. His passion to dance and create a performance of a lifetime now forgotten.

He stopped caring, he stopped coming.  

Sometime Jisung would come there to look for him and called his name, But Daniel would hid, not answering any of his call. He didnt want the older one to see his predicament now. He would be dissapointed if he saw the dim halo at the back of his head after all the hardwork they've done.

Daniel didn’t exactly remember how he started retracted himself from Jisung. It started because he hates seeing Jisung with Irene. Their closeness and their laugh irritates him. He felt like he hates the campus and studio.

He also didn’t want to go to Jisung’s flat afraid of his own desire to separate jisung’s soul from his body.

Thus he choose to disappear from his life.

Devoid of any knowledge over his purpose and existence on this world. 

  
Sat at the riverbank, he looked to the afternoon clouds on the sky. It looked exactly like the one he saw when Jisung greeted him for the first time. Gold and gray, pink and blue danced together created a strange harmony.  He was a different soul back then, holding different kind of pain and emptiness.

“How much time I got until I turned into into lost ones?” He mumbled to himself.

“Seems not much”

A strange voice answered his own musing.

Daniel turned to the back only to see a man stood behind him. He looked short but wide. A silver hair and scary smile adorned his head.

“You…can see me?” Daniel asked the stranger, eyes almost popping from his head.

The stranger scoffed, seemingly not interested holding conversation. He took out something from his pocket that looked like a string and spun it on his palm

“Yeah..yeah…I can see you clearly..by the way can you stay still for a moment?” The man asked while stretching the string until it reached desired legth.

Daniel knotted his eyebrows. This other man whose able to see him didn’t show any friendliness. Barking order as if he was his subordinate or someone inferior. Far different than Jisung was.

“Why I- Uugh” Suddenly Daniel felt something wrapped around him in a chocking strength. “Wha..wha happened” He panicked unable to move an inch, tried to yanked whatever it was that wrap him

“Good god, what an obedient lost one..or a stupid one?” The man chukled. He stretched his one hand. Daniel can see a glimpse of string stretched from his hand run toward his direction

“You! What are you trying to do?” Daniel realized this was the silver haired man’s doing

“I  just doing my job, cleaning this world from lost souls. So nothing personal yeah?” He answered lightly without looking at him. 

The man took another item from his pocket and made some gesture. From his hand appear a bright-ominous blue light that formed it shape slowly into some kind of sword

“I am not..I am not a lost soul!! You pick the wrong soul!” Barked Daniel. He remembered something jisung said about some entity that targeted lost soul and realized this is might be it.

“Yes, but from your situation, you are a lost case. Its better if I take care of you now rather than after someone get hold of you  and causing problem on this world with your power later” He smiled and slowly stepping forward toward Daniel

It struck Daniel that he is gonna be eliminated, killed. He curse how his fate could be so bad, being a victim of homicide twice on his life time. Cold sweat running through his head, he panicked, scared. Suddenly he regretted very much at the fact he run away from Jisung, from his safety and comfort.

And the fact that  now he gonna disappear before he could see him again.

“No please..dont kill me, please..” Daniel plead with hitched breath

“Naah, it wont hurt, I promise” The man who already right infront of him within stabbing distance lift the sword and made a stance

“Jisung hyung help me!!” Daniel cried desperately

“What? Jisung hyung?” The man stunted on his preparation

“Yah! Ha sungwoon! Stop!” A screaming sound from a distance

Daniel recognize that voice.

“Irene nuna…this thing is-“

“He is One of Jisung’s case. Don’t kill him please” Irene answered as he stood beside the man who apparently goes by the name Sungwoon.

“I didn’t know about it” Sungwoon flicked his finger, and the ghost instantly dropped to the ground. The spiritual wrap already deactivated. ”Why jisung hyung so reckless with him? Looked at her situation, he almost turned into a lost soul now”

“Well..his situation is..spesial it seems” Irene kneeled infront of shocked stated soul trying to regain his composure

“You..you can see me all this time?” Daniel asked the woman as he tried to gather his energy. Apparently the wraps do more to him than held him still

“Yes, more than he is capable of since he just contracted by our power unconsciously” Irened put his hand on top of the ghost’s shoulder, transferring something to make him fell better “He didn’t know that” she added after a while with smaller voice.

“What is that? that doesn’t make any sense” Daniel throw his head to the sky that now looked considerably darker.

“You don’t need to” Irene stood after making sure the soul’s condition is not worse than she expected “And why are you run away from Jisung? He tried to help you. Look at your pethatic condition now” She said with disgust.

Daniel didn’t answer, he put his hand on his knee and looked at the ground. Unable to form any words for this women who he still despise even with the fact that he just saved his ass.

“Fine you don’t need to answer. But so you know, this guy’s job right here is to hunt lost soul therefore no irresponsible people would catched and abuse them. If you don’t fix yourself soon and keep haunting Jisung,  I am gonna hunt you myself” Irene explained coldly.  

“And don’t you dare tell him about this event” The last warning she gave before both of them left daniel alone at the river bank.

 

* * *

 

 

Jisung lying on his bed for over an  hour already. Something about tonight’s air made him unable to sleep. It’s been hard lately with him couldn’t find Daniel. He’s been worried to death, worried if someone evil kidnapped him or someone not necessarily evil eradicated him.

Suddenly he felt it…the presence that he’s been waiting desperately.

“Niel ah…niel ah its you isn’t it?” Even though he hadn’t shown himself, he sure it’s the boy’s soul who come to him

As expected, a shape of a boy slowly formed itself infront of his eyes. He looked tattered, dark and unkempt. But jisung didn’t care. He run toward the boy and hug him tightly

“Thank God..you still here” Jisung strated to cry he brushed the younger’s hair and rubbed his back as if trying to shoote himself.

Within his embrace, Daniel felt the warmth and safety that he thought he will never feel again just hours ago. His sweet smell and soft voice filled his cold soul that almost hollowed out by recent event.

He should felt grateful, but he was shaking as flood of feeling bursted, manifested in the form of tear spilled on his cheek.

“Hyung…I am sorry” He whispered, almost chocked

“Its okay…everything gonna be fine” The older luls and sway softly as if he hold a precious baby on his embrace.

Within his embrace Daniel felt accepted. He thought the older one would be disappointed sad or probably angry for his reckless dissapearance. But instead, he felt treasured. His hands on his back and his hair felt warm, felt right like its always been there.

“Thanks for coming back” The older one kept murmuring to his shoulder.

Daniel couldn’t answer, he just tightening his own embrace on the slender hips of the pianist until they both drifted asleep.

 

Jisung wasn’t sure if he was asleep or he just blinked. There’s a brief darkness and unconsciousness, and then there’s a light.

A bright warm light penetrate his eyelids that he couldn’t help not to open his eyes.

The first thing that he saw was Daniel’s face, stood against a bright big circle with a bright halo on top of his head.

“Hyung, Its time to go” He whispered weakly, with a smile so beautiful Jisung almost missed the glassy eyes on his face.

“Now?” The older one blurted out

_“But what about your dance? Our performance? What was it that hold you here? And why you suddenly can go now?How should I feel?”_

A bunch of questions and too much felings stormed his head at once. But Jisung instead swallow it back and smiled.

“I am happy for you” He tried to keep it jolly, but he couldn’t held the tears fell on his cheek. He snorted his nose and wiped his tear “It’s…this is tears of happiness. I-”

“Hyung” Cut the ghost he approached him slowly, leveled his face to the pianist

“Its love, its what I  yearned of”

“Huh?” The pianist couldn’t quite understand what he tried to say

“Thank you, I love you hyung”

 

During his life time, after he started helping ghosts finding their way home, He never been kissed by one. He never think about that. And now when it happened, it felt warm and cold at the same time. The texture tickeld his nerve and something else deep down at the core of his stomach.

Its burning passion and hollowness at the same time.

He encircled his arms on the ghost’s body as if he doesn’t want to let go. 

The kiss was adorned with tears, He closed his eyes trying to feel everything when it started to get thinner and thinner.

Until it cut to dark

 

 

Jisung woken up by the morning sunshine and the sound of bird chirping from the distance. He sat on the bed, trying to remember what happened last night.

Daniel was back, and he was gone

That’s the first thing he remembered

And He cried himself through his sleep

That’s the next memory and he felt hurt.

Jisung rubbed his face and brushed his hair trying to make sense everything at once. He stunned as he noticed something on his arm

A red and gold  wrapped his wrist.

 

 

* * *

 

 

A Week Later

He was weirdly calm.

Usually before his performance, especially the one with competitive edge, there were someone or something that threw him off balance. Wether its another competitor’s taunting or someone being really good he wasn’t sure if he could beat them.

But today, he felt nothing could shaken his resolve. He felt like he was on a mission and he was going to nail this one.

“Break a leg!” Irene said, tapping his back

Jisung smiled and felt thankful he was being blessed with good friend on his side. He nodded and made a thumbs up gesture before walking into the stage

After blaring announcement of his name and number being called to the stage, the silence in between the performance felt comforting. This is unlike his usual feeling some years ago when he felt it cold and threathening.

He realized that he already changed as a person and as a pianist.

Its thanks to him, A boy named Kang Daniel.

He closed his eyes and whispered slowly “Thank you”

Suddenly he felt something light and warm on his shoulder. A familiar feeling that he longed for a while.

“Lets do this hyung”

He couldn’t belief his eyes. Over the piano he saw the boy stood at the centre of the stage. Shining brighter than any soul he ever see. Illuminated by the most beautiful warm light he ever see. He was wearing a flamboyant white shirt and a tight. Striking a pose the the pianist knew too well.

A Miracle

That’s the words the critique would use to praise Yoon Jisung’s performance that day.

“The Lost prodigy made a comeback with heart wrenching performance that drew tears on every audience present. It’s a moment that will be remembered for the long time to come”

Literally the words that typed for tomorrow newsletter.

As expected by everyone, Jisung snatched the golden trophy. Everyone wanted to shake his hand, took a picture with him or interviewed him. But the pianist  only looked  at a certain spot on wich he reservered for a certain group of people . 

“Mrs Kang!” Jisung called them. Prior to competition, he persuaded Daniel’s mother and aunt to come to the theatre for his performance day. At first its understandably difficult  to convinced them since they were literally stranger. Thankfully The aunt agreed to him since she was a classical musician herself.

“Thanks for coming. I hope you enjoyed the performance” Greeted jisung with the widest smile he could muster.

“Its very beautiful Yoon Jisung ssi. Especially yours.  I didn’t know I’d watch such masterpiece! Congratz for your winning” Daniel’s aunt gushed at him.

“Aah thank you. Its actually thanks to Daniel”

The older women almost couldn’t held their tears as Jisung slowly told the story of how he and Daniel befriended each other and decided to collaborate together. The fact that the music they listened today actually made based on every inch of Daniel’s move. He also conveyed how talented he was proven by a masterpiece created from it.

“I wanted to give you this. This is the partitur with Daniel’s notes on it. Its my writings but it was made according to daniel’s direction. And also this studio version that I recorded. He was undoubtly a good son but I hope you can also cherish him as a talented artist through this work of him”

“Thank you Yoon Jisung ssi” The women bowed deeply

“Jisung-ie is okay” Jisung said flustered by bowing back and tried to lift the ladies back up.

“Ah is that-“  Daniel’s mother noticed something on the young man wrist. A shape of red and gold that she was familiar with

“Ah this- I am sory, this is..I supposed to gave back to you. I borrowed it for luck, this is something that important to him, I shouldn’t..but I-”  He stuttered trying to take it off as he forgot since when and where he wore the bracelet everywhere and everyday. He forgot that it was supposed to be delivered to Daniel’s family

She hold his busy wrist softly and smiled

“Jisungie” She looked at Jisung’s eyes “Do you want to keep this?” She asked with the most understanding tone he ever heard.

It was so gentle that he wanted to tell her everything.

“I do, yes I hope I can keep this to remember him” He nodded while looking on the ground. Tears falling into the floor “If not for him, I wont be standing on this place ever again. His existence meant so much to me”  

Daniel’s mother smiled. He nodded aprovingly and hugged him.

“I love him...thank…thank you for letting me keep this..thank you” Jisung sobbed into the older lady shoulder with similar scent as him.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Epilouge :

The year is 2150

The golden Hair boy jogged in the middle of tropical beach while hearing the sound of waves and feeling warm heat of sunset. He enjoyed the color of the sunset on tropical hemisphere during that certain time of the year.

Suddenly the scenery turned off and its back into his living room

“Its 8AM already Master Kang, you should get ready for your plan” An object in the shape of a robotic kitten with high pitched robotic tone give him warning

“Ah shoot! Thanks for the heads up Nene!”

He flew to the bathroom, cleaned himself and putting his best clothes that he already choosen the night before

“Call the car now Nene!” He screamed as he stormed from his room while buttoning his shirt.

The driverless car parked infront of his house. He entered the front seat and plug his mobile AI  into the system wich read his plan accordingly and drive him to his destination.

“Are you nervous?” asked nene his AI butler that now integrated into the car system therefore it can make conversation through the car’s sound system.

“Obviously” The blonde answered as if it’s a non question “You know…What if he doesn’t like me that way” He started to shakes his feet as his nervousness went up “We are childhood friend…he probably only sees me as his lil brother..I probably gonna loose my oldest and most percious friends..Ah Why he must be my childhood friend?! Its so cruel!” He rambles his head out.

Today is really nerve wrecking for him. After a couple of years pinning and hoping and giving hints and what not, he decided that he need to tell him his actual feeling. That he likes him as a man, he wants him as his lover not a mere younger brother that he protected and dotted on.

 “As far as my calculation, you’d be long dead was Mr Yoon not exist as your friend” answered the robotic voice

“Yeah…reeealy helping nene..”

“Thank you master”

The car stopped somewehere to pick up the flower and chocholate that he ordered for this special day.

Yeah, Its lame to confess on valentine days but based on Nene’s calculation, today is the best day to do it.

Daniel looks at the window, observing the white clouds that moving slowly relatively against the car’s speed. The sky painted light blue, even though winter approaching somehow there’s warmth on itself, akin to the warmth coming out from the man he loves so much.

A piano tune played from the car’s sound system

“Its an ancient music master” commented the AI

“It is” He glanced at the title of the song - A white cloud  - a sad tune that speak to him a lot and help him during difficult times “Its so beautiful isn’t it?” He closed his eyes immersing himself within every tune.

“I agree”

 

 

Finally they arrive at the beautiful house adorned with vines and pastel colored brick. While standing at the front door he reconsider if he shall push the bell or just going back home.  

He gulped hard trying to memorize the lines that they created before. His hand at the back trying to hide the flower and box of chocholate.

“Merry?….Happy?..Ehem..Happy Valentine day..this flower…no..this chocholate is not friendship chocholate..this is my genuine feeling of love-“

“Daniel?”

The younger one almost drop all his belonging as he hears the voice from behind.

There he is the most beautiful person in his life the love of his life standing while carrying cans of beer. His smile is so warm it could make the flower blossom in the arctic area.

His messy hair,  his random layers of cardigan and coats signaling the man was on an impromptu walk out. Yet he looks like the cutest man on earth

“I love you” Daniel blurted out. He curse inside for the fact that his mouth always run faster than his brain. 

“I love you too, lets get in, its freezing out there” 

 

 

 

 

  
  


 

  
  
  
  
  


 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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